Saturday 9th June 2018

 A male Large Skipper, although widespread it does not occur very frequently at Landguard.

A cool and breezy start to the day brightening up late morning. The first broods of Whitethroat for this year have fledged on the reserve, Lesser Whitethroat have been seen carrying food, a male Black Redstart was singing on the fort and the first Meadow Brown Butterflies for this year at Landguard were on the Butts.

Noted on the reserve, 70 Linnet, 70 Starling, 12 Ringed Plover, 9 Shelduck, 1 Black Redstart & 1 Chiffchaff. Offshore, 120 Herring Gull, 20 Black-headed Gull, 12 Little Tern, 10 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Common Gull, 2 Common Tern & 1 Med Gull. Going North, 3 Swallow. Going South, 32 Canada Goose, 2 Common Scoter & 1 Swallow.

A pest on apple trees the Codling Moth is only noted here occasionally.

6 birds ringed: Blackbird 1, Chiffchaff 1, Dunnock 1, House Sparrow 1, Woodpigeon 1, Wren 1.

Friday 8th June 2018

Juvenile Pied Wagtail on the reserve. 

A strong Northerly breeze and overcast this morning. The first juvenile Linnet at Landguard for this year was seen on the butts, Gulls and Terns were feeding offshore on the falling tide at the Point and two Porpoise were seen surfacing beyond the Gulls off the point too.

Noted on the reserve, 180 Herring Gull, 75 Starling, 36 Black-headed Gull, 30 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 24 Common Tern, 14 Little Tern, 8 Shelduck, 6 Pied Wagtail, 5 Whitethroat, 2 Common Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Swallow, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Chiffchaff & 1 Lesser Whitethroat. Going North, 31 Common Scoter, 3 Little Tern, 3 Sandwich Tern & 1 Oystercatcher. Going South, 1 Fulmar.

The Shark turns up in our moth traps infrequently.

2 birds ringed: House Sparrow 1, Whitethroat 1.

Thursday 7th June 2018

 A copulating pair of Small Heath on the Butts.

An overcast morning with sunny spells and a strong Northerly breeze. Gulls gathering offshore and feeding at the point on the falling tide this morning were 480 Herring Gull, 40 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 30 Black-headed Gull, 5 Common Gull, 3 Great Black-backed Gull and 1 Med Gull. Common and Little Tern were also at the point, they continuing feeding after the Gulls had dispersed. A Black Redstart was singing on the fort and the first juvenile Wrens at Landguard for this year fledged at the Observatory.

Noted on the reserve, 155 Starling, 24 Common Tern, 18 Little Tern, 10 Pied Wagtail, 8 Shelduck, 3 Whitethroat, 1 Black Redstart & 1 Lesser Whitethroat. Going North, 4 Little Tern, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Avocet, 2 Common Scoter, 2 Cormorant & 2 Sandwich Tern. Going South, 1 Cormorant & 1 Oystercatcher.

Privet Hawk Moth is the largest of the Hawk Moth found in the UK, its flight period is during June and July.

3 birds ringed: Wren 2, Linnet 1.

Wednesday 6th June 2018

Painted Lady starting to move in.

Southbound 2 Curlew, 2 Tufted Duck & Oyk. Today's migrant in the bushes was a Chiffchaff. Young Kestrels are out on their maiden flight this morning with baby Blue Tit from the only pair we have also venturing out. 400 assorted seagulls off the point on the falling tide early on including an adult Yellow-legged Gull were joined by a dozen Little Tern & 4 Common Tern.

Cinnabar are now coming out to play including this one in a poor selection of moths in the traps following a cooler night.

Ringing: 1 Blue Tit, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock, 1 Wood Pigeon.

Tuesday 5th June 2018

 Little Tern on the beach

A dip in the overnight temperature and fine rain at the start of the day. Gulls and Terns were congregating and feeding at the point mid-morning, a Black Redstart was singing on the fort and the first juvenile Greenfinch for this year at Landguard was seen on the reserve.

Noted on the reserve, 180 Starling, 21 Little Tern, 6 Common Tern, 6 Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Kittiwake. Going North, 5 Sandwich Tern, 2 Gannet & 1 Swallow. Going South, 14 Canada Goose & 1 Swallow.

The Miller is an infrequent guest in our traps, last noted four years ago.

2 birds ringed: Dunnock 2.

Monday 4th June 2018

 Blackbird  busy collecting food for chicks.

A foggy and misty start which cleared by mid morning. Two Curlew went South, so is it autumn already? The first Curlew flying South at Landguard are usually an indication autumn migration has started! A second calendar year Rose-coloured starling (presumed to be the same individual) was on the reserve this morning for a third day but was last seen at 8:45am flying North towards the Butts and a male Black Redstart was towards the point.

Noted on the reserve, 160 Starling, 60 Linnet, 8 Pied Wagtail, 6 Shelduck, 5 Whitethroat, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Tern, 1 Black Redstart & 1 Rose-coloured Starling. Going North, 4 Swift, 3 Black-headed Gull & 1 House Martin. Coming in off the sea going West, 3 Teal. Going South, 2 Curlew & 2 Swallow.

Plenty of Small Elephant Hawkmoth in the traps this morning.

2 birds ringed: Lesser Whitethroat 1, Woodpigeon 1.

Sunday 3rd June 2018

Rose-coloured Starling numbers have doubled. Originally thought to be 2 different birds early morning "General Consensus" decided that one of them was actually yesterdays bird (that did a bunk mid-day yesterday presumably into urban gardens nearby) now joined by a new adult. Glorious sunny start with belts of mist & fog rolling in from 0630 hrs to the time of writing. A Little Ringed Plover was flying around 0500 hrs before departing south. Other migrants today were 3 Reed Warbler, female Blackcap, Swift, House & Sand Martin. Little Terns are regular offshore & in the river in small numbers in recent days but in this fog its difficult to work out how many are loitering today.

Shoulder-striped Wainscot is one of those widespread species that only ordains us with it's presence on odd occasions each year.

Ringing: 1 Blackcap, 1 Reed Warbler.